Officials approve study of school district

The Council Rock school board has approved a proposal by the Pennsylvania Economy League (PEL) to conduct an updated demographic study of the district.

The study will assist the district in putting together its next round of capital improvement projects, in addition to deciding where it needs to go in terms of facilities and student population, according to SuperintendentMark Klein.

“It is essential for us to get a current look at this to help us with projections in regard to enrollment,” said Klein.

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The board voted unanimously Sept. 20 to spend up to $11,200 on the study.

The previous studywas both “thorough and comprehensive,” but did include over-projections, which Klein attributed to the unanticipated downturn in the economy.

The updated study will provide the district with data designed to assist the administration, board members and the public in making decisions regarding the district’s future classroom, program and staffing needs.

The study will review population trends, housing growth and birth patterns, migration of families and children and enrollment of children in private and charter schools outside of the district.

It will also look at development activity, including the annual number of occupancy/building permits for new and/or rehabilitated housing units and new housing units proposed, under way or under serious consideration.

When the study was last done in 2006, board member Robert Donnelly said it was a more optimistic growth pattern.

“Housing was booming. Everybody was moving around. Now we’re going to revamp that. We went from 12,600 kids to 11,500 children in our school district. Where are those children located? What school buildings do we need to serve those kids correctly?

“PEL will give us a starting,” said Donnelly. “First and foremost, we need to know what that demographic pattern is going to be over the next four or five years. PEL will give us that information,” he said.

Once the district has that information, Donnelly said there will be community and board discussions and “18 months from now we’ll have an idea of where we’re going to take this district over the five to 10 years.

“It will be based on quality information that has a fiscal responsibility as well as a measured responsibility and first and foremost the responsibility of serving our constituents – our taxpayers and our children,” he said.